Push Back on an Unrealistic Deadline
Added 2026-11-03
Do not say it cannot be done; say what it would take or what to trade.
I was given an obviously unrealistic deadline (details below). Prepare my response: 1) first confirm why that date matters — is there an external milestone; 2) give a realistic estimate with its basis, broken into tasks; 3) offer three options: extend time, cut scope, add people; 4) state the cost and risk of each; 5) draft a reply that is collaborative but clear. Do not say "we will do our best".
Site original
Chinese original
How to use
对不合理的截止期，最有用的回答是「要什么条件才能做到」。
Try tweaking it
- Ask for three columns: conclusion, owner, deadline — ready to paste into a table.
- Let it organise only your notes; do not add decisions that were never made.
What you should get
- Task list with owner, deadline and blocker
- Escalations that need a decision, listed separately
Common mistakes
- Feeding raw notes and letting it fill in decisions that were never made.
- Getting owners without deadlines, so no task can be created.
How to check the output
- Every item has an owner and a date — ready to become a task.
- It does not record decisions that were never made.
Where it works
- Good for: turning verbal discussion into owner, deadline and blocker.
- Watch out: let it organise only the notes you supply — never let it infer decisions that were not made.